Non Automatic Weighing Instruments Directive

What is the Directive

Directive 2014/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of Non-Automatic Weighting Instruments came into force from 20/April 2016 ad replaces Directive 2009/23/EC.

This Directive implements the text of EU Decision No 768/2008/EC and makes reference to Regulation (EC) No 765/2008 on accreditation and market surveillance.

All instruments placed on the market after 20 April 2016 have to comply with the requirements in the Directive & Regulations listed above.

Definition:

Weighing Instrument - means a measuring instrument serving to determine the mass of a body by using the action of gravity on that body. A weighing instrument may also serve to determine other mass-related magnitudes, quantities, parameters or characteristics.

Non-Automatic Weighing Instrument - means a weighing instrument requiring the intervention of an operator during weighing.

has been non-automatic weighing device has been defined as "one where an operator is involved in some part of the weighing process."

Non Automatic Weighing Instruments (NAWI’s) which are to be placed in the European market must comply with the NAWI Directive 90/384/ EEC as amended by Directive 93/68/EEC whatever their intended use.

BSI has been involved with the NAWI Directive since its implementation in 1993. It was the first UK assessment body to become a Notified Body for the purposes of NAWI Directive quality system assessment. In the UK the Directive has been implemented through the Non-Automatic Weighing Instrument Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/323).

Other member states have their own implementation legislation. For some instruments (e.g. kitchen/bathroom scales for personal use at home), only the manufacturers name and the weighing capacity need be marked on the instrument.

Who is the Directive for?

The Directive is relevant for manufacturers of non-automatic weighing equipment that they wish to sell into Europe.

A non-automatic weighing device has been defined as "one where an operator is involved in some part of the weighing process."

What products do we test?

The Directive covers a wide range of weighing instruments. What you need to do to comply with the Directive depends on the product that you wish to CE mark.

For some instruments e.g. kitchen or bathroom scales for personal use at home, the requirements are simple, only the manufacturers' name and the weighing capacity need be marked on the instrument.

For other weighing instruments the requirements are more stringent. The kinds of products that this covers includes:

retail and industrial weighing machines

supermarket checkout weighing systems

weighbridges

laboratory and pharmaceutical balances and medical weighing machines intended to be first placed on the EU market and used for other purposes

Benefits of meeting the Directive

By meeting the requirements of the Directive you will be able to sell your products into Europe. This is one of the ways that BSI can help you to access global markets, be compliant and to grow your business internationally.

What's required?

For some instruments e.g. kitchen or bathroom scales for personal use at home, the requirements are simple, only the manufacturers name and the weighing capacity need be marked on the instrument.

For other weighing instruments the requirements are more stringent. In these cases NAWI’s must have gone through EC type-examination (the procedure whereby a NAWI notified body verifies and certifies that an instrument, representative of the production envisaged, meets the requirements of the Directive that apply to it) and been given an EC Type Approval Certificate.

NAWI’s must be manufactured in accordance with the EC Type Approval Certificate and correctly labelled and CE marked in accordance with the NAWI Directive and other applicable directives.

A NAWI notified body examines and tests the instrument and applies the conformity assessment mark or

A manufacturer who has in place a quality system which has been approved by a NAWI notified body (e.g. BSI as complying with the Directive gives his own EC Declaration of Type Conformity and applies the conformity assessment mark.

NAWI’s after being placed on the market and put into use are subject to member state conformity re-assessment procedures following repair

Contact us today to start your journey to certification where we can help you to meet the requirements of the Directive.